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Canada and USA Part One
Although the fact that Canada and the United States are neighbours does not necessarily mean that they share the same values and norms, there are significant similarities, especially according to Hofstede's rankings. Therefore the writer has chosen to analyse the data collectively.
In both Canada and the US, education is very thoroughly organised. Students receive all the information they need on the first day, and there are good services
which provide them with further help in all related fields. At the same time, both Canadians and Americans rank high as individualists.
"Well, basically if you go to a class," says the Canadian student, "that’s the student’s responsibility, if you are there or not there. Nobody was, em, had an attendance list; it was your own responsibility . . . I mean that was up to you . . . in terms of doing the research or putting things together, I means? it was all on the student . . ." And The American interviewee confirms this:". . . it was completely the student’s responsibility, I mean, there were attendance policies, and– homework assignments and tests, but if you didn’t do your homework, you didn’t go to class . . ."
The relationship between the students and the professors is one of low power distance. The closeness is, of course, more on a professional basis. The professors are more available to the students and they take their time to help. The Germans' strong separation of public and private life–compartmentalisation in general–influences the professor-student relationship. Professors have special office hours and they try to keep to them, which means one has to make an appointment in case there are many who would like to talk to the professor. The Americans, on the other hand, have an open architecture policy; even the door of the house opens directly to the living room. This would be unimaginable in German culture.
". . . there were some professors who really helped me, I guess, with my path, says the Canadian student. ". . . they had their office hours, they had quite a few office hours, and they were, your professors were very available . . . I spent several hours throughout the whole term, quite a few hours discussing with him [the professor] my future goals, my future plans . . . [professors] were quite interested in what the students were doing . . . I mean it was an open-door policy, all the doors are open, and you say, do you have time, and they are receptive." The American interviewee has had the same experience: ". . . it was a very personal relationship, I knew my professors and they knew me . . ."[emphasis added by the writer]
Such a close relationship minimises the use of politics in relationships, but it could still be used by some. The American interviewee comments: ". . . of course, there were certain politics there and you could definitely , ha ,ha, suck up the teachers, if you need to, if you stopped by their office and asked them questions outside of class they would definitely, were going to have a more, more of a friendly attitude towards you specially when the end grades come out, ha, ha, but it doesn’t completely lie on politics . . ."
The services offered by the university were many and varied. The Canadian student elaborates: "You name it you have it, I mean, I mean like sports, I mean there were different levels, I mean, if I just wanted to go out for –or I just wanted to play . . . about how to write an essay, how to study, how to deal with stress and how to I don’t know , look for your career opportunity . . . I would say majority of the universities in Canada, I mean these services are seen as part of the services that the university provides . . ." And the American student says: "There were career centres where they would help you with résumé writing and cover letter writing, finding internships, studying abroad, em, interview skills . . . there was counselling centre where if you had questions about classes you always had an academic advisor and counsellor . . . there were hours of tutoring, so there were tutors available, and computers available twenty four hours a day . . ."
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